Gas-engine.



P. SUMBLER.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLXGATION FILED M1528, 151.13.

Patented June 23, 191%.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

Eatente June 23, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

unirsi) smrns PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL SUM'BLER, 0F PLATTSBURG, NEW YO RK, ASSIGNOR F FIFTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS T0 HIMSELF, y'.LJFIIR'JJY'-THREE AND UNE-THIRD ONE-HUNDREDTHSTO MARCUS J.

cLoW, Ann sixmnnn AND Two-mumps ALL or P Larrsisuae, NEW YORK.

, on reeiproeatingzpistons to produce rotation i yof crank shaft, butfI would have it understood v'that the essential features of this invention cation." Y. l

Among 'the .objects of the invention is to devise fa' 'means for operatin the engine valves, thefignition timer an other necessary aliixliary working parts of the engine whi'clilwill do away with the useof spur,

` bevel, spiralor othertoothed gearing. in the 4o drawings j in wineA l pro erly andl eiciently.

said engine, 4such gearing being expensive and diiliciilt to manufacture and assemble tending to run noisily and in- A' further object of the invention is to Vreiiicler it more simple to take down and reessex'nble an engine for repairs or inspection and make the engine lighter and more compam, a.' distinct advantage 1n motor vehicle or aeroplane engines, although its use is not iimited to such engines, but 1s practicable and advantageous tor `stationary engines using natural or artiiicial gas or vaporized li uid fuel oils for motive power.

heeforegoing and other objects of theinvention will hereinafter "be morev fully described Vand. claimed and illustrated in the forming a part of this specification like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views and in whichf ,preferred embodiment 'of Figuregl is; :in-elevation Villustrative of a' the invention ap-' pliedtof; four-cylinder four-cycle engine as' 1t mayfrbeapplied to an automobile, the engine easing' and other parts beingA broken away; Figi is'a detail in elevation andy partly in section substantially Von the brokenv line 22 oiFigsi 1 and 3; Fig. 3 is a lan groeved member shown ing ig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February'28, 1913. Serial No. 751,281. f

need-not be so limited in their appli ONE-HUNDREDTI-IS TO CHARLES HUNTER,

Gas-ENGINE.

2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view of the kignition timer, partly in'elevation and partly "in section, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6; Fig. 6 is a transverse Apartly in section, on the. line 6.*6 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a development of the inner surface of one of the parts of the ignition timer, the same indicating the arrangement. ofl the varlous contact points.

vspecifically set forth and with respect to 'eheh two rotations of the To' this end, therefore, as engines- 'of this type are usualiybuilt, i't is necessary `t y ploy a considerable amount of auxiiary -mechanism such as cams, reduction gearing orI the like in order to timingof'the valve and other mechanism of the-engine from the main shaft.v By this invention, however, fof actuating means which may assume various forms but withthe shaft, or a member Secured to the shaft, so Vasto produce'an irregular or intermittent'operation of anydeslred part of the'engine from the shaft while the latter is making -its regular rotations. To this end, therefore, I provide an annular member which is arranged concentricallyof the shaft cylinder during each tially parallel runways in is adapted-to operate in alternation', the ac -l tuator being lshiftable 4laterally of the annularIv member from runway to runway, or longitudinally of the axisof the shaft, once for' each rotation ofthe shaft. Said actuation, dependingpbn thel specitiegnature of the service te4 on line 4 4 opi'` The several parts of this invention may be spirit of the invention tl1ere-is provided -one admission `of hydrocarbon andk one ignition`4 main or crankshaft.

secure the proper' I provide a peculiar form V which coperates directly` andeither secured theretofor rotation theres with ormounted in a relatively:stationary.- position, such annular member, howeyer,be i ing provided with a plurality of substanwhich `an actuator tor may be ofA anyI suitable form'or construce performed thereby, -but as` atented'une 23., `1914. I i

view of the saine, partly in elevation and 7 n shown Iherein, it -is preferably made as a roller, either a ball or a disk, and free to roll on'a plurality of axes at least one of which is parallel to the axis of the shaft. The ac` l tuator will be understood', therefore, as being effective to perform a certain function on Fig. 2. Said'wheel 10 pertains to one ofthe cylinders 12 of they engine and is designed as shown. for the purpose of controlling the admission of hydrocarbon into the cylinder through a valve represented at p 13, Fig. 1. The device illustrated` having four valves it will, of course, be understood :that the cam wheels will 'be of like number and so arranged as to operate upon said cylinder valves in succession as usual in engines of thistype. A specific description of one of the cam Wheels and the operation thereof will be understood as being applicable to all ofthem. y

The wheellO is provided with a pair or plurality of runways which extend around the same in substantially parallel relation, means being' provided, however, for communication from one runway to the other at stated times. These runwaysmay be made` f any suitable .form or character,

` but as L shown, they consist of a pair of grooves Mend 15 separated from each other throughout the minor portion of the circumference of rtheawheel by a rib 16.

At 17 is a'lap in the ribt16 whereby the grooves have communication with each other under certain conditions hereinafter set forth. The runway 14 is formed with a cam 14, but the'rnnway 15 is circular or of uniform radius from the axis of the shaft .11 throughout. The purpose of the runways is to cooperate with an actuator which operates n said runways in alternation, the actuator being operated for a certain purpose by the cam 14 when occupying the runway l 14, but when the actuator is at the runway 15 it will be idle `during the next 4'successive rotation of the shaft. p

The actuator may be of anysuitable form i or construction, but as illustratedy herein it is preferably in the form of a roller whereby it coperates with the rooved membcr by rolling instead of sli ing friction. The roller may be a ball or it may be a wheel or disk 18. In either event the actuator is shiftable laterally of the grooved member from one runway through the gap 17 to the other runway once for each rota tion lof the shaft. Said-shifting is practically in a direction parallel to the axis of vthe shaft. The shifting or transfer of the actuator from one runway to the other is effected automaticall A during the operation of the engine. As s iown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the carn wheel rotates with the shaft and the actuator is relatively stationary but for the aforesaid shifting. In order to effect the shift or transfer, I employ a switch 19 pivoted at Q0 in the line of the rib 16 and the pivot being preferably' radial of the shaft 11.` The point 19 of the4 switch spansone runway causing the actuator to shift from s fh runway to the other, and comin into cui@ et with the heel 19 of the switc the actuator will cause the switch to beA thrown. so as to span the runway intowhich the actuatorhas just come. The switchistempon rarily maintained in the position into which it is thrown by the actuator by any suit-able means as, for instance, by a spring pressed ball 21 coperating successively with apair of sockets 22 in said heel and on thel oppo' site side of the pivot axis 2O from the point of the switch.

By virtue of the cam llllinvoneof thc run# 4ways,.the actuator 18 is moved radially out-.

ward from the axis ofV the shaft. 11, such movement being eifcctive to produce any suitable mechanical result. For, the purpose of lactuating` the valve lthe actuator is journuled in one end of a lever E53 journaled at 24 on an axis parallel tothe axis of the- -shaft 11, and when the actuator isforccd in one direction by the cam 14, the opposite end of the lever is causedt-o bemovcd in the oi"4 fr: direction, shown as upwardly, foi-cin;`A 13.11- 24' upwardly to open the valve against the tension. of a spring 25. The normal tendency of the spring is to seatthe valve and maintain the actuator in constant coperation with one runway or the other. The rod '24 is guided at 26 for reciprocation in a substantially fixed Josition. In order, therefore, for the shi. ting of the actuator to be accommodated in its support in the casing 27, the lever 23 is journaled on a turntable S28 pivoted on a substantially vertical axis 29 in said casing. Likewise the actuator 18 is journaled in a turntable 30, the axis of which is substan tially at right angles to the axis 0f the It `will be apparent, therefore,

los

.a vgroove 33 in ay sleeve 3l connected in any suitable manner. for rotation with the engine v shaft 11. Theactuator 18', as in` theoprevious construction, is Ashiftalole laterally ot said sleeve orvlongitudinally ot' the axis of the shaft once for each rot-ation oit-the shaft and hence cooperates in alternation' with pair ot' runways 14: and 15 formed as grooves extending around the axis of the shaft in an annular member or sleeve 10. In this special construction the grooved member 10 is relatively stationary and the actuator revolves around Within the same because of the rotation of theyshaft and sleeve 34. A switch 19 similar in form and function to vthe attoresaid switch cooperates with such innways so as to cause the automatic shift of theactuator 18 through the gap 17 at each rotation of the main shaft.

, Whilefthe sleeve 10' is described as being relatively stationary, it is to he lunderstood that it is adjustable slightly circurntcren tially of the shaft through the lever` for the-purp )se ot' varying the time of ignition of the several engine cylinders. The. illus* tra-tion being part of a four-cylinder engine oijthe four-cycle type, I provide vfor the igniion a series yof'contacts so Athat the several cylinders lwill ,be tired in succession, each -cylinder being/ired once for each two rota- "tions of the rnain shaft.

As shown especial/ly in the diagram o-f Fig. 7, l provide four/contact buttons 36, one for cach cylinder, and zit/"37 I show one contact button churn/non to all of said cylinders. l employ a pair otcams 38 carried at diarnetrically opposite positions by the shaft or some part carried bythe sha-ft, and these canis 88 engage' the button 87 in succession while vthe main shaft is rotated. During the nio-nient of contact, therefore, between the hutten 87 vand one of the cams 38, the actuator 18 in one of the runways 14 or 15 will be in contacting engagement with one of the two out -"fifties the shaft makes a half rotation, the actuator will engage the other button 3G in the saine runway While the opposite cam 38 will l engagement' with the hutte-n 37 so that of the cylinders will be tired during each tation of thefmain shaft. It will be noted, therefore, that the actuator will be inetl'ective during such one rot-ation of the main shaft with respect to the other runway and the Ytwo cylinders pertaining thereto. At' the end of this particular rotation, however, the actuator 18 will'he emitted by coming1 into engagenientrith the switch 19, coming' first into engagement with the point thereof and finally with the yheel thereof, causing the switch to he thrown seas to guard the opposite runway. rhe actuator then willv be eli'ective with the two contact buttons 36 in succession. in this seconc-L runway and second rotation of the shaft.

Any suitable system olZ wiring or insulation may availed of to carry out this ignif tion mechanism in the manner above set forth, it being uncerstood, of course, that each et tue buttons engagedy either by the actuator Canis 38 will be spring ope-rated and adapted tor electric wiring for the purposes set iiorth. The electrical connections wi", 'ficlude the nlug B6 arranged at any suitable place so as to have connection at all tines with the' actuator 18 through the incinber 10'..

Having thus described my i invention, l laini as new and desire to secure by Letters l, ln an engine, the combination ot' a rotary shaft, a greeted member connected .to the shaft or rotation therewith, an actuator associated r'ith the grooved member, and means acting" upon said actuator causing the actuator to shift laterally of said ineinoer at each rotation of the shaft, said shift` in@ means inclut" a pivoted switch cooperatie@ with tic aciuator, the ot' the pivot l uur i antially radial with respect to the of the shaft, the heel of the switch provided with a plurality of l ets, and a sprihg pressed ballcoperat- 'tl' said sockets r alternation to lock i" switch teunporarilJ either position to vhichit may thrown u, zie actuator.

. ln s engine, the combination ott a l cylinder mechanism, valve `o control the operation of the "ni, said valve mechanism iprocating rod, cani nicmed to the cranlr shaft and having a, plrantv of substantially parallel grooves extending around tue periphery thereof, one of said "roovesheing circular and the other iiled with a l. termediate its ends and "peratiug with the en@L of y "eid roller journaled in suhstautiall as set lbed actuating means tion enginesj the saine comprising a cani ineinber having a pair of "pheral grooves?, et said grooves becan'i, there being a circular 'and the other lbeing provided with a cam portion,'tl iere being provided v communication lfrom each of said grooves to .the other, a reciprocating rod adjacent said cam member, a turntable mounted for partial'rotation around a fixed4 axis, and-a leyei mounted on an axis at ri hta turntable axis, one end o .said ever being in contact with said rod, and a member connected to the opposite end of the 'lever and operative in alternation in said grooves, said member when in cooperation with the camY groove serving to reciprocate the rod, substantially as set forth.

4. In an actuating device for internal combustion engines, the combination of a stantially as set forth.

. a reciprocating ycrank shaft, a cam member connected to and rotated by said shaft, said cam member -hav- -ing a plurality of peripheral grooves, one of the grooves being concentric with the shaft and the other being in part eccentric thereto, there being provided a communication from each of said grooves -to the other,

rod adjacent thev cam member, a turntab e mounted for limited rotation around a fixed axis, a lever pivoted onk said turntable on.an axis at right angles to the turntable, and parallel to the 'crank shaft, one end of said leve;` being in commember, a lever mounted les to lsaid I or. oscillation around a. lurality of axes at right angles to each ot er, one end offsaid lever being in'contact with the said v' rocating member, a turntable mounted in the otherend of said lever, and a disk roller journaled in said turntable on an axis substantial] at right angles to the axis of the turntab e and cooperating in alternation with the aforesaid grooves.

6. In mechanism of the class t fortl'i, the combination of a shaft, an annular mein bei' surrounding the shaft and having formed therein a pair of grooves, an actuator comprising an antifriction roller open ating in Said grooves in alternation.j a switch pivoted on an axis substantially radial of the shaft between said grooves, the grooves being se arated by a rib extending from one end of tlie switch around the member to tbe other end of the switch, said switch havin of a reciprocating member adacent the cam .a point acted upon first by the roller an having a heel subsequently acted upon by the actuator, and means actin between one vend of said rib and the heel o the switch to temporarily lock the switch in the position in which it is thrown by' the actuator, sub-- ystantially as set-forth.

In testimony whereof I have' signed my name to thisvspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL SUMBLER.

Witnesses:

' MAnoUs J. CLow,

Davie H. AGNEW, 

